Friday, April 29, 2016

First, I want to say Thank You Again to one and all who have contributed to my utility fund; the contributions have been more than enough. Love you all at Ace of Spades HQ!

That said, I am still posting from the library and it’s because WePay.com—which provides the donation buttons on this site through Everbutton.com--is unable to verify bank accounts and credit cards automatically or in a few days like PayPal does. And even when the accounts are verified and the withdrawal process starts, it takes two to five days before the funds are deposited into an individual’s personal bank account. WePay does not provide an account in the manner that PayPal does. Also, no phone app.

I’ve been in contact with WePay’s customer service and they tell me that it will take up to 30 days before I receive the funds.

Think about that.

So, I do not recommend WePay as a PayPal replacement. And I’ll be going to bed at 8:00 PM for a few weeks. Bright side: I’m getting a lot of novel writing done!

This is my JOB. It pays for: A Roof Over My Head, the writing of My Next Book(s), and Utilities--especially Internet and COFFEE! Yes, coffee is a utility.And...If you still want to to donate via Paypal, my email address is juliette -dot- ochieng -at- gmail -dot- com.

Saturday, April 23, 2016

UPDATE (4/26): The Horde comes through! I'm still posting from the library, but that's only because it takes time for the funds to get through.You can stop now!ORIGINAL: My electricity was turned off on Thursday for non-payment. That's why I was posting from the library that day and what this post is about. Naturally, my wifi was off.

However, I had discovered a workaround; in the vestibule outside of my apartment, there's an outlet not connected to my account. So I gathered all the surge-protecting cords I could find--five, as it turns out--put them together and made it so that I could at least have light, coffee, and wifi until I could find a way to get the funds together.

I knew it wouldn't last for long but I thought it would last for the weekend and, bare minimum, for 48 hours. But when I heard a high-pitched female voice outside my door ask loudly, "what's this doing here?" I knew the jig was up. Then the knock on the door came.

I threw myself at my landlady's mercy, but she said no, and I understand her position. "Oddest" thing: I was just about to post today's Da Tech Guy offering when the knock came. The title of that post: Living by Faith.

So that's what I'm still doing at I type this from the library--living by faith. $400 is what I need. At least help me get some candles.

Because I'll never pretend like I'm blegging for altruistic, unselfish reasons--unless I actually am--and,

Because, unlike some people, I can tell you how all donated monies have been spent; I keep copies of all of my receipts using Neat.com scanner and software. If you ask, I'll tell you.

Meanwhile, I don't think that anyone abiding under the wing of Donald Trump will suffer earthly penalties for this.

Remember when Donald Trump snubbed Fox’s presidential debate to hold a fundraising rally for veterans back in January? Well, it seems there’s a great deal of that money that has yet to be distributed. What’s more, his staff seems unconcerned about why it hasn’t been given out.

Trump claimed after the rally that his website drew in a total of $6 million for wounded warriors, but The Daily Beast caught up with his veteran’s issues chairman and asked about why charities haven’t exactly lined up to publicly acknowledge that they received any of it.

Two of Trump's veteran point persons say that some of the $6 million has been disbursed, but neither bothered to prove it and say that they have better things to do than be transparent about donated money intended for veterans.

And I predict that no entity of the MSM will be aggressive about this topic. Wish I could perpetrate something like this...well, then again, I don't. It would be necessary to be without a conscience.

A lot of people are still arguing about the Fed's decision to change the front image of the 20 dollar bill from that of Andrew Jackson to that of Harriet Tubman.

I was initially thrilled about the news and came across the image below early on.

It is unknown who did this awesome photoshop and, of course, this won't be the image on the new federal reserve note.

The more I think about it, however, the change is the equivalent of throwing a bone to a hungry public. And those who are still arguing about the historical merits of Tubman versus those of Jackson are wasting their time.

After all, does it really matter which the image is on any piece of fiat currency--which, by definition, is based on nothing but the word of the non-federal Fed?

If I were a little bit more paranoid, I'd say that this is why the change was allowed.

AFTERTHOUGHT: In a barter economy, aside from ammo and booze, I predict that coffee will have the most value.

BTW, while that currency still has some perceived value--at least to power, gas, and Internet companies--be so kind as to donate to this blog. Thanks!

I don't dispute Trump's expertise. Be that as it may, in the video, Trump criticizes Ronald Reagan and one of the late president’s actions in particular: cutting taxes. I thought Trump want to be the "New Reagan."

In the video, Trump says that he was asked to testify against Reagan and his actions by “the chairman.” That’s likely to be the chairman of the House Budget Subcommittee in 1991’s Democratic Congress. Wonder who that was...

Oh look! The chairman in question was Leon Panetta, Democrat from California, former Clinton Chief of Staff, and former Obama Secretary of Defense and CIA Director. If Trump is working for the Democrat Establishment in 2016, his employment certainly has precedent.

But, perhaps Mr. Trump has, upon further reflection, changed his mind about this major peg of conservative economic philosophy/policy.

Something to ponder. All candidates talk about businesses returning to the USA after the latter have moved operations to foreign locals. One of the reasons which such businesses move is to not be required to pay high taxes. But if a President Trump advocates for the raising of taxes on the “rich,” why would the rich come back?

I guess it depends on one’s philosophy about leading humans and human organizations. A leader can attempt to convince potential followers that his/her leadership ideas are in the followers’ best interest.

Or a leader can use force on potential followers.

Trump has talked about forcing businesses to come back. How would that work, exactly?

To play, sing, compose, put on a competent show, have a good time doing all that, stay out of court, and not beat us over the head with their politics--that's all most of us really expect from our superstar musical entertainers.

And that's exactly what we got from the late Mr. Nelson. And more.

Prince was the Happy Warrior; the Smiling Showman. For all his weirdness, he was, essentially, The AxeMan. He is greatly missed.

Thursday, April 21, 2016

So I'm at a Los Angeles Public Library branch close to my apartment. The LA DWP and I are having a little disagreement about my electricity bill, but I'm not going to let that stop me from working, not in this First World country.

Of course I bring my devices; to charge them and so that I don't take the chance of compromising any of my passwords. Oh and there's that cleanliness thing.

So, using my laptop, I get on my usual sites, the try to take care of some business. Then I go to the DWP and can't get on it at all. Then, suddenly I can't get on any site, except for Instapundit and Ace. I could not get Gmail, Blogger or Facebook to load. And this is not just with my laptop, but with my phone devices as well. Reset, restart, recheck, redo. No difference. The librarian couldn't figure out the problem either.

Right now I'm on one of the library computers and there has been not one problem except for an icky keyboard and mouse...and passwords. Every site loads immediately.

In pretending that his campaign was cheated out of a win in Colorado, Donald Trump is attacking state-level representative (small-r) republicanism itself. He is trying to delegitimize state primary and caucus systems.

And it’s no coincidence that former GOP presidential candidate and present Trump proxy Dr. Benjamin Carson compared the Electoral College System to Jim Crow laws.

Those who care about the foundation of the United States as a representative republic and those who know that each state is a republic unto itself—or is supposed to be--should be very alarmed at this pattern.

Says Jeff:

[T]hey advocate for centralization, direct democracy, and mob rule, the very things the left wants as it collects more and more urban dwellers in population centers as “clients.”

Both Trump's and Carson’s reactions seem incredibly stupid, as assertions based in falsehood will, but I contend that the reactions of the two betray more than just two men who seem to know nothing about the ideological bases of the country's founding.

What I think: they both do know about the federalism, republicanism, and about the choosing of delegates. They are hoping you don't, however. They know that a goodly portion of the American voting public is insufficiently informed about republics versus democracies, primaries versus caucuses, federal government versus state/local governments, and American history in general; a deficiency due to the fact that these topics are rarely taught to K-12 students in public schools. Another factor: autodidactism is a rare trait.

Pertinent side note: the funny part about Carson’s moronic statement regarding the Electoral College is that its very purpose is to protect political minorities. Conversely, Jim Crow laws were majority-rule laws created to de facto oppress/exploit racial minorities. One wonders about Carson's stance on the treatment of minorities of any stripe.

The two are playing a role. Well, Trump is playing a role. Carson was merely bought or was blackmailed in as a bit player. He was given his line and he delivered it. He even added a little anger and moral outrage.

Can you tell that I’m no longer an admirer of Dr. Carson’s? It started with his outrage at the Cruz Campaign for something which the campaign did not do. It hindsight, it seems that Carson was telegraphing his intent to support the Trump campaign; but for that he needed to make up a reason to do so. A pretext.

I suppose we should expect all public figures to disappoint us, especially politicians. But Trump and his associates seem to have left all pretense of integrity behind.

What to do about [white] dysfunctional families in dysfunctional communities? I have a great deal of experience with that question — a great deal more experience than ever I wanted to have in this life. And my answer to what to do about a community or a family that offers you little or nothing and that may be actively working against your real long-term interest is for me the same today as it was 25 years ago, when I first was forced to consider it and answered in the argot of my own downscale tornado-bait community [in Texas]:

F*** ’em.

I remain amused by the negative feedback Williamson is getting.

Except for black Americans whose ancestors were American slaves, all of us--including American Indians--are descendants of people who got up off their backsides and moved to an unknown hemisphere.* But advising others to move to a new city or state within one's country is the equivalent of advising suicide a death wish? That's what Williamson's critics say either overtly or covertly.

I guess that go-getter instinct is a recessive genetic trait.

Williamson also points to something I observed weeks ago: that lazy white people--and their apologists--are just as intransigent as lazy black people--and their apologists--when it comes to hard advice and will whine about having to hear it just as loudly.

It's comforting.

*For the record, my bio father came to America as a 20-year-old--from a different hemisphere,

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

As part of a lecture on the human body’s digestive system, my old biology professor offered this one-liner:

The colon is the smartest organ in your body; it knows the difference between home and not-home.

This is true for many women—including me—and, I’d imagine, some men. Number 2 away from home is not happening.

Some elimination chores take longer than others and, therefore require longer periods of undress. It’s a matter of safety, and of course, one usually feels safe when at home. You know the personal and cleanliness habits of all who live in your home. Also, there are locks on the doors and windows of your home, if not on the bathroom door as well.

You are reasonably sure that no one will be able to hurt you while you are in such a vulnerable state. You can relax…and handle your business.

Away from home, it’s a different story. You do your thing quickly, trying not to touch anything, and get out. Because you are less safe.

And I contend that this is the whole purpose behind the notion of mandatory unisex bathrooms and unisex locker-rooms: to remove the relative notion of safety from those who are physically the weakest and who are most prone to fear: women and girls.

This is how you know that the blah blah “rape culture,” “war-on-women” and “safe spaces” is a bunch of crap—no pun intended. One minute the Social Justice Warriors say that all men are pigs and rapists; the next minute they are boycotting states which refuse to make it easier for actual male predators to target women and girls.

Bruce Springsteen, Bryan Adams, Michael Moore, Ringo Starr, and, no doubt, other entertainers have publicly chosen to boycott North Carolina and Mississippi—states which have mandated separate bathrooms and locker rooms for males and females. Various leftist politicians outside of these states have forbidden government employees from using government funds to travel to NC. And Paypal has cancelled its plans to build a center in Charlotte, NC.

I’m guessing that the women and girls in the lives of these rich Virtue-signaling Grandstanders will never have to wonder whether they will be safe under such conditions, so to heck with the rest of us. They pretend as if it’s a LGBT discrimination issue, but it isn't. It isn’t even a T issue.

It’s a Chaos-Sowing issue. Fear and insecurity sow chaos. So do accusations of bigotry. This is a tried-and-true tactic of the Organized Left: to create/exacerbate enmity between groups. Here, the left has created a fight where none existed previously. And all too many are taking the bait.

Creating chaos spurs the need for order...for a small-s savior; this has always been the strategic goal of the Organized Left.

You may have noticed that I’ve removed the Paypal button from the previous post and from the left sidebar. However, I have not cancelled my account. Yet. I want to see what Paypal does regarding this issue. At the end of this month, I'll decide what I'm going to do with Paypal and inform my subscribers. In the meantime, I’m researching other options.